Dearne Valley - Sunday 21st February

Bolton Ings

No gloves day today with a high temperature of 15c, very windy though and as usual on WeBS count day viewing difficult and birds sheltering and hard to count. Highlights on Bolton today were few but included a couple of Buzzards up regularly and a Green Sandpiper. Full list :- Grey Heron 2, Mute Swan 7, Canada Goose 24, Grey Lag Goose 59, Mallard 30, Teal 3, Wigeon 2, Gadwall 9, Tufted Duck 24, Pochard 19(12 drakes), Goosander 4, Goldeneye 3, Coot 153, Moorhen 3, Lapwing 2, Green Sandpiper 1, Snipe 6, Black Headed Gull 196, Common Gull 7, Lesser Black Backed Gull 1, Herring Gull 10, Buzzard 2, Kingfisher 1.

Adwick Washland

Onto Adwick this afternoon where the wind was even stronger but plenty of birds to count but no Little Egrets today. Full list :- Grey Heron 2, Mute Swan 2, Mallard 20, Teal 61, Wigeon 54, Gadwall 34, Shoveler 6, Shelduck 4, Coot 13, Moorhen 5, Lapwing 75, Black Headed Gull 132, Common Gull 1.

Old Moor

Onto Old Moor for the roost this evening, fortunately the wind had died down and with the lengthening days it is now gone 6 o'clock when the light goes. A Green Sandpiper feeding in front of the Field Pool West hide was a nice sight. 40 Cormorants on island 1 on the Mere soon relocated to the willows and the roost where 49 was the final count. 6 Little Egrets also came in tonight with 4 from down the valley, don't know where they have been, any help would be appreciated. Jeff counted 49 Goosanders on the Wader Scrape and 20 Goldeneyes were seen between the Mere and Main Marsh. The Goldeneye that thinks its a Goosander was again on the Wader Scrape with the Goosanders and as last week one flew down the valley late on to ???

For the first time this year the Black Headed Gulls left down the valley to Doncaster Lakeside to roost rather than Wintersett. They do this every year and will build up to several thousand before finally settling to breed in the area. It is a great sight to see when they gather before leaving to roost and then minutes later they are all gone.